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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24342979">Past and Present</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellsey/pseuds/Ellsey'>Ellsey</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, First Meetings, Fluff, Playing fast and loose with ages here, anniversary surprises</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:42:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,393</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24342979</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellsey/pseuds/Ellsey</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Melinda May is ready to celebrate her anniversary with her wife Polly, but Melinda's got a little surprise up her sleeve.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Polly Hinton/Melinda May</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>AOS Season 7 Countdown</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Past and Present</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Day 3 of the AOS Season 7 Countdown Challenge! This fulfills the prompts of any F/F pairing and fluff. Also, yes, I'm totally playing fast and loose with May's and Polly's ages but it fit my plot soooo, yeah.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“She got another note today.”</p><p>Melinda May put down her things and sighed. “Is that all the greeting I get after a long day at the office?”</p><p>“Office? Is that what you call that closet you talk to Academy students in?” Melinda’s wife walked into the entryway. “Your daughter got another note sent home,” said Polly, waving something in Melinda’s direction.</p><p>“Oh, she’s <em>my</em> daughter now?”</p><p>“Aren’t you going to ask what for?” Polly asked her.</p><p>“I hope it’s for defending herself from that boy that’s been bothering her,” Melinda said.</p><p>Polly glared at her. “No, and we need to have a discussion about that by the way.”</p><p>“What did she do?” Melinda asked.</p><p>As if summoned, their daughter Robin came in. She gave Melinda a big hug and tried to look as innocent as possible. “Hi mom,” she said.</p><p>Melinda looked at the girl. “Robin, what happened at school?”</p><p>Robin stared at the ground. “It was stupid.”</p><p>“But what happened,” Melinda asked again.</p><p>“I told Kayden that I could see the future.”</p><p>“And that was enough to get a note sent home?”</p><p>“Well, I kind of also told him that he didn’t have a future, so he tried to throw his drink at me but I was faster than he was so I threw it on him instead.” Robin paused and looked up. “It’s not my fault he’ll be in jail by the time he’s 18.”</p><p>“You don’t know that,” said Polly, clearly exasperated.</p><p>“Yes I do,” said Robin with a shrug.</p><p>Melinda had to repress another sigh. “I know your powers make things confusing sometimes, but you shouldn’t have thrown the drink at him.”</p><p>Robin looked like she wanted to argue, but then she thought better of it. “Yes mom,” she said obediently.</p><p>“No arguments or complaints?” Melinda asked in surprise. “Excellent. Now go get ready for Daisy to come over and watch you.”</p><p>“Daisy?” Robin squealed with excitement. “I know just what I want to do with her,” Robin said as she ran off.</p><p>“Are you sure about this?” Polly started.</p><p>“Positive,” said Melinda. “It’s our anniversary, and we are going to have a great evening.” She gave her wife a kiss. “I’m going to go get ready.”</p><p>An hour later with Daisy safely ensconced in the house with Robin, Melinda and Polly were off.</p><p>“So, are you going to tell me where exactly we’re going?” Polly asked.</p><p>“No, it’s a surprise,” said Melinda with a slight smile.</p><p>After a few minutes Polly looked confused. “Are we going to the ice rink?”</p><p>“Maybe.”</p><p>“But...why?”</p><p>“You’ll see in a bit,” Melinda said.</p><p>Melinda parked the car and turned to her wife. “Do you remember how we met?”</p><p>Polly stared at her for a moment. “Of course. You came with some Shield people to check on Robin.”</p><p>Melinda nodded. She remembered everything that happened with Robin and the future. When they managed to break the time loop, Melinda had wanted to make sure she didn’t completely lose the relationship with Robin that she had in the future. Or that she would have had. All the time travel was very confusing.</p><p>Spending more time with Robin meant spending more time with Polly too. The more she went to visit, the more Melinda realized that Polly was everything she could want. She was kind and loving and beautiful. More than that, Polly had an open heart that allowed Melinda’s to begin to heal. Melinda found comfort and peace where she had never expected it, and so she was forever grateful for that day she had gone with Shield to check on Robin.</p><p>But that wasn’t the first time that Polly and she had met, as Melinda had recently discovered. She was going to enjoy this</p><p>“Actually, that wasn’t the first time we met.”</p><p>“Yes, it was,” Polly said, “You came to see Robin and asked some questions while making eyes at me.”</p><p>“No that’s...wait, I never made eyes at you.” Melinda paused for a moment, trying to redirect her train of thought. “Anyway, that’s not the first time we met.” She took out an old picture and handed it to Polly.</p><p>“What’s this?” Polly asked. She looked at the picture for a moment. “Wait a minute, this is from my first competition back in my skating days. I got 3rd place. That was the highest I ever placed. I was not really meant to be a skater I guess.” Polly gave a small laugh. “Where did you get this?”</p><p>Melinda gave a small smile. “Who won first place?”</p><p>“Oh, I don’t know, all I remember about her was that she was aggressive and fast. It was dramatic entertainment, and they had placed me in an older group because there weren’t enough people in mine. I was very lucky to medal at all. I think the girl who won was a bit older. She was definitely much better than I was.” Polly paused to squint at the picture. “Wait...is that...you?”</p><p>“It is,” Melinda said with a nod.</p><p>“You never told me you used to skate,” Polly said in disbelief.</p><p>Melinda shrugged. “It never came up. Really, of all the things in my past that I try to not think about, my figure skating career is one of the biggest of them.”</p><p>Polly continued to study the photo. “Wow. How funny to think that we met so many years ago.”</p><p>“Well guess who is going to break out the old skates tonight?” Melinda asked her.</p><p>Polly looked up. “Oh no, Melinda, I haven’t skated in ages.”</p><p>“Neither have I. We’re going to strap on some rentals, get out there, and pretend we’re those girls who used to live on the ice.”</p><p>“What if I fall?” Polly looked afraid. “It’s been so long since I skated, and I know falling will be a lot more painful now.”</p><p>“You’ll have me. I won’t let you hurt yourself.”</p><p>Polly appraised Melinda for a moment then agreed.</p><p>They went inside and got their skates. Melinda hated rentals really, but obviously neither she nor Polly had skates that fit. There were very few people out on the public session, which suited Melinda just fine.</p><p>Stepping out onto the ice, they both looked like newborn fawns, unsteady and wobbly. However both of them found that their muscles did still have some memory of their past days, and soon they could both manage some passable forward stroking and crossovers. Melinda grabbed Polly’s hand on one turn around the rink and refused to let go.</p><p>“Did you ever try any ice dance?” Melinda asked her wife.</p><p>“No,” said Polly. “Did you?”</p><p>“My coach had me practice some of the lower level dances. Said it was good for my skating skills.” Melinda put one hand on Polly’s waist and the other out to the side. “Put both your hands in mine.” Polly did as instructed. “This is called Killian hold.” Melinda started to push off.</p><p>“I’m not sure about this Melinda, we’re awfully close.”</p><p>“Don’t you like being close to me?”</p><p>Polly laughed. “It’s not that. It’s just that our skates are also close together like this.”</p><p>“We’ve been through worse.”</p><p>“Yeah, I guess we have.”</p><p>They stroked around a little longer before they both needed a rest. They stepped off the ice and sat down on a bench.</p><p>“So what do you think? Still got it?” Melinda asked Polly.</p><p>“I think you could regain some of your skills very quickly. Me on the other hand...probably not so quickly. But thank you for bringing me here.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“It’s nice to remember why I loved this so much.” She held Melinda’s hand. “I love you so much.”</p><p>“I love you too.” With that Melinda leaned forward and gave her wife a deep kiss. “Happy Anniversary.”</p><p>It was fun to remember where they had come from, but what was even more exciting to Melinda was where they were going. This may not be the family unit she has always imagined as a child, but it was even better than she could have hoped for. Life had a funny way of working things out.</p><p>“What do you say? Should we go out there and risk life and limb again?” Polly asked her.</p><p>“For you? Always.”</p><p>Melinda knew there would be peace and happiness whenever Polly was around. That was all she ever needed.</p>
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